Hinge construction

ABSTRACT

HINGE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE DOORS OF CABINETS OR OTHER ENCLOSURES WHERE THE DOOR IS MOUNTED TO SWING BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, WITH THE HINGE HAVING A DOOR WING AND A CABINET WING. THE DOOR WING IS A CONFIGURATION FOR EITHER AN INSET OR AN OVERLAY TYPE OF DOOR, AND THE CABINET WING IS EITHER EXPOSED OR PARTIALLY CONCEALED. ONE TYPE OF CABINET WING INCLUDES A GENERALLY U-SHAPED FLANGE THAT FITS AROUND AND CLAMPS ONTO THE EDGE OF THE CABINET FRAME WITH ONLY A SINGLE SCREW REQUIRED TO SECURE THE WING TO THE FRAME. THE CABINET AND DOOR WINGS MAY INCLUDE A SELF-CLOSING MECHANISM HAVING A HOUSING SECURED TO OR INTEGRAL WITH THE CABINET WING, THE HOUSING CONTAINING A SPRING-BIASED CALM THAT IS URGED OUTWARDLY TO ENGAGE THE KNUCKLE OF THE DOOR WING, AND A HINGE PIN OR PINTLE DEFINING THE AXIS OF THE DOOR. THE DOOR WING KNUCKLE INCLUDES A CUT-OUT PORTION COOPERATING WITH THE CAM TO URGE THE DOOR THROUGH THE LAST FEW DEGREES OF THE ARC OF CLOSING MOVEMENT AND YIELDABLY RETAIN THE DOOR CLOSED.

Oct. 19, 1971 R F ANDERSON EI'AL 3,613,151

HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 27, 1969 3 SheetsSheet 1 Oct. 19, 1971 ANDERSON E'I'AL 3,613,151

HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 27, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,613,151 HINGE CONSTRUCTION Ralph F. Anderson and Richard C. Henson, Rockford,

Ill., assignors to Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc.,

Peoria, Ill.

Filed June 27, 1969, Ser. No. 837,130 Int. Cl. Ed 1/12 US. Cl. 16-180 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Hinge constructions for the doors of cabinets or other enclosures where the door is mounted to swing between open and closed positions, with the hinge having a door wing and a cabinet wing. The door wing is of a configuration for either an inset or an overlay type of door, and the cabinet wing is either exposed or partially concealed. One type of cabinet wing includes a generally U-shaped flange that fits around and clamps onto the edge of the cabinet frame with only a single screw required to secure the wing to the frame. The cabinet and door wings may include a self-closing mechanism having a housing secured to or integral with the cabinet wing, the housing containing a spring-biased cam that is urged outwardly to engage the knuckle of the door wing, and a hinge pin or pintle defining the axis of the door. The door wing knuckle includes a cut-out portion cooperating with the cam to urge the door through the last few degrees of the arc of closing movement and yieldably retain the door closed.

The present invention relates to hinge constructions for the swinging movement of cabinet doors in a cabinet or other enclosure, and more particularly to hinge structures which may include a self-closing mechanism to urge the door to closed position and yieldably retain the door closed.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a hinge construction for use on a latchless type door of a cabinet or enclosure where the hinge is capable of urging the door toward and beyond its closed position. The cabinet wing of the hinge includes a housing secured thereto within which is mounted a movable cam that is resiliently biased outwardly toward a hinge pin or pintle. The door wing includes a knuckle receiving the pintle and having a cutout portion cooperating with the cam to urge the door to closed position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a hinge construction having a housing which completely encloses the pressure cam except for the surface engaging the hinge knuckle of the door Wing.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a hinge construction utilizing a housing for the pressure cam which can be interchangeably mounted on various configurations of cabinet hinge wings for various hinge mounting possibilities.

The present invention also comprehends the provision of a hinge construction having a generally U-shaped cabinet frame hinge wing adapted to be mounted on the cabinet frame by the use of a single screw. The U-shaped hinge wing has a portion exposed on the exterior surface of the cabinet frame with the remainer of the hinge wing wrapped around the edge of the cabinet frame so as to be clamped thereonto. A single screw extends through an opening in the base of the U and into the edge of the cabinet frame.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

3,613,151 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 "ice In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a self-closing hinge of the present invention mounted on a cabinet and a cabinet door.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the selfclosing hinge of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the hinge.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the hinge shown mounted on a cabinet and door.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the cabinet hinge wing base of FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the cam housing to be secured to the base of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the open position of the hinge.

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the cam.

FIG. 10 is an end elevational view of the cam.

FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the cam.

FIG. 12 is a rear elevational view of the door hinge wing showing the cut-out portion in the hinge knuckle.

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of self-closing hinge.

FIG. 14 is an end elevational view of the hinge of FIG. 13 shown secured to a cabinet and door.

FIG. 15 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged front elevational view of the cabinet hinge wing of FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 is an end elevational view of a third embodiment of hinge for an overlay door.

FIG. 18 is an end elevational view of a fourth embodiment of hinge having the self-closing mechanism for an overlay door.

FIG. 19 is a front elevational view of the hinge of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 20-20 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is an end elevational view of a fifth embodiment of hinge utilizing the self-closing mechanism and having a wrap-around cabinet hinge wing.

FIG. 22 is a front elevational view of the hinge of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 23-23 of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a front elevational view of the wrap-around hinge wing with the self-closing mechanism omitted.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings wherein is shown illustrative embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 1 discloses a cabinet or enclosure frame 10 and an inset door 11 mounted on the cabinet for swinging movement by two or more hinges 12, one hinge being shown in the drawings. The hinge 12 includes a cabinet hinge wing 13 and a door hinge wing 14 joined for pivotal movement by a hinge pin or pintle 15.

The cabinet hinge wing 13 includes a mounting flange or base 16 of any suitable configuration and having openings 17, 17 adjacent the ends to receive mounting screws 18, 18 to secure the base to the cabinet 10, a pair of openings 19, 19, an elongated slot 21 and a parallel elongated notch 22. The openings 19, 19, slot 21 and notch 22 are adapted to receive a pair of spaced rivet projections 24, 24 and a pair of spaced parallel elongated positioning ribs 2 5, 25, respectively, of a cam housing 23. The base 16 may have a recess 26 of the general outline of the housing 23 to aid in positioning and assembling the housing onto the base 16; the rivet projections 24, 24 being swaged or spun to conformably fill the countersunk openings 19, 19 and secure the parts together.

The housing 23 is of a generally rectangular shape having upwardly extending rounded projections 27, 27 at the opposite ends thereof and separated by a central generally rectangular stepped opening 28 therethrough closed at one end by the base 16. The opening 28 is generally located between the positioning ribs 25, 25 and receives a generally rectangular cam 29. The cam 29, as seen in FIGS. 9-11, has a flat rear surface 31 with a recess 32 therein enlarged at each end .33 to accommodate a pair of compression springs 34, 34. A pair of adjacent corners are beveled at 35, and the top surface 36 of the cam has a central raised portion 37 with a rounded concave surface 38 leading to a high point of surface .39 for a purpose to be later described.

When assembled as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the springs 34, 34 are received in the enlarged recess ends 33, 33 and abut the cam in the recess and at the opposite ends abut the base 16 to yieldably urge the cam outwardly of the housing. The rounded projections 27, 27 have axially aligned openings 41, 41 to receive the hinge pin or pintle 15 which extends across the opening 28 and the pressure cam 29. The pintle 15 is knurled at one end so as to provide a friction fit in one of the openings 41.

The door hinge wing 14 (FIG. 2) includes a mounting flange 42 having openings 43 to receive suitable securing means, such as screws 44, to mount the hinge wing on the door 11. The door 11 is shown as of the inset variety and the hinge wing 14 has an offset portion 45 joining the mounting flange 42 with a pivot flange 46 terminating in a generally cylindrical hinge knuckle 47 forming a passage receiving the pintle 15. The. knuckle 47 has a cut-out portion 48 of a longitudinal dimension to receive the raised portion 37 of the cam 29. The edge 49 of the cut-out portion is rounded at 51 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) to cooperate with the high point or surface 39 and the rounded surface 38 to accomplish the self-closing function of the hinge.

As seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the high point or surface 39 of the pressure cam 29 is oflset from the axis of the pintle 15 and the door hinge wing knuckle 47, with the round surface 38 and high surface 39 bearing on the outer surface of the hinge knuckle 47. As shown in FIG. 8, when the door 11 is swung to its open position, the cam 29 is urged against the knuckle 47 and slides on the outer surface thereof; the hinge being formed of metal and the cam being formed preferably of a suitable plastic material, such as Celcon, to enhance relative sliding movement.

As the door 11 is swung to its last approximately 20 arc of movement upon closing, first the high surface 39 and then the rounded surface 38- will engage the rounded portion 51 of the edge 49' of the cut-out 48 under the force of the springs 34, 34, a turning movement is imparted to the hinge knuckle 4-7 to urge the hinge wing 14 and the door 11 to its fully closed position. As seen in FIG. 7, the raised surface 37 of the cam 29 is urged against the rounded portion 51 of the knuckle edge 49 to urge the door beyond its closed position, which force retains or holds the door in closed position. In opening movement, the rounded portion 51 of the edge 49 engages the raised surface 37 to force the cam into the housing 23 against the force of the springs 34, 34.

As seen in FIGS. 2, 7 and 8, the cam 29 is totally enclosed in the housing 23 except for the camming surface 37, 38, 3 9 which faces and is partially concealed by the hinge knuckle 47. Although shown as two parts, the housing 23 may be formed integral with the base .16.

FIGS. 13-16 disclose a second embodiment of hinge 12 utilizing the self-closing feature. The hinge 12 includes a cabinet hinge wing 13 and a door hinge wing 14 joined together by a hinge pin or pintle 15 A housing 23*, substantially identical to the housing 23, is secured to the cabinet hinge wing 13 and houses the pressure cam 29 and the springs 34, 34 both identical to the first embodiment. The cabinet hinge wing 13 includes an exterior flange 52 and a mounting flange 53 at right angles thereto having suitable openings for mounting screws '54 which project into the edge 55 of the cabinet frame The flanges 52 and 53 have an opening or cut-out 56 therein for a purpose to be later described.

The door hinge Wing 14 includes a mounting flange 57 having openings 58 to receive the mounting screws 59, an offset portion 61 for an inset door 11, an intermediate portion 62 of reduced width (see FIG. 13) parallel to the mounting flange 57, and a portion 63 perpendicular to portion 62 and terminating in an angular end portion 64 having the hinge knuckle 65 at the outer edge. The corner 66 formed by the portions 62 and 63 is received in the cut-out or opening 56 when the door is closed as seen in FIGS. 14 and 15. The knuckle 65 has a cut-out 67 identical to that of the first embodiment and cooperates with the cam 29 in like manner.

FIG. 17 shows a third embodiment of hinge 12 similar to that shown in FIGS. 1316, except for an overlay door 11 The hinge includes a cabinet hinge wing 68 having a mounting portion 69 at right angles to the wing 68 with openings to receive screws 71 to mount the hinge wing onto the edge of a cabinet 10 A housing 23 is secured to the wing 68 and carries a pintle 15 The door 'wing 72 is flat and has openings to receive mounting screws 73. The wing 72 has a narrow portion 74 to be received in an opening (not shown) in the wing 68 and flange 69 in a manner identical to that shown in FIG. 15. The Wing 72 terminates in a knuckle also substantially identical to that shown in FIG. 15

FIGS. 18-20 disclose a fourth embodiment of hinge 12 for a cabinet 10 with an overlay door 11. The hinge includes a flat generally C-s'haped cabinet hinge wing 75 having a central connecting portion upon which the cam housing 23 is mounted and a pair of spaced generally parallel arms 76, 76 each having an opening 77 for a mounting screw 78 to secure this wing to the exterior surface 79 of the cabinet 10.

The door hinge wing 80 is a generally T-shaped member having a wide end portion 81 and a narrower central portion 82, the wing having openings 83 for securing screws 84 to mount the wing on the interior surface of the overlay door 11. The narrow portion 82 is conformably received between the arms 76, 76 and terminates in a right angle flange 85 carrying the hinge knuckle 86 hav ing an opening 87 cooperating with the pressure cam 29 mounted Within the housing 23. The knuckle 86 is carried on the pintle 15 as in the other embodiments. As seen in FIGS. 18 and 20, the door 11 overlays and conceals both the door hinge wing 80 and the spaced arms 76, 76 of the cabinet hinge wing 75 from view.

FIGS. 21-24 disclose a fifth embodiment of hinge 12 with a unique manner of mounting on the cabinet 10 and utilized with an inset door 11 The cabinet hinge wing 88 includes a base portion 89 carrying the cam housing 23, a central mounting portion 90 having a single opening '91 to receive a mounting screw 92 and a clamping portion 93; the hinge wing having a generally U-shaped design, and the base portion 89 and the clamping portion 93 may slightly converge from the mounting portion 90 to aid in clamping the hinge wing onto the edge 94 of the cabinet 10 The door hinge Wing includes a mounting portion 95 having openings 96 to receive mounting screws 97 for at tachment to the interior of the inset door 11 an intermediate portion 98 at right angles to the mounting portion, a narrow portion 99 at right angles to the portion 98 which is received in a notch or opening 101 formed in the base portion 89 of the cabinet hinge wing 88, and the narrow portion terminates in a narrow flange 102 at right angles to the portion 99. The narrow flange has an angularly disposed portion 103 terminating in the hinge knuckle 104 which is provided with a cut-out or opening 105, identical to the opening 48, cooperating with the springbiased cam 29 in the housing 23 This hinge 12 functions in an identical manner with the other self-closing hinges where the self-closing structure is present. Obviously, this hinge, as well as the other hinge embodiments do not require the self-closing feature but can operate as ordinary hinges about a hinge pin or pintle. If the housing 23 is not utilized in these embodiments, then the cabinet hinge wing must be formed with spaced curled portions or knuckles (not shown) to carry the pintle and receive the knuckle of the door hinge wing therebetween. Also, where the cam 29 and housing 23 are utilized in the hinge structure, the cam housing can obviously be formed integral with the base portion of the cabinet hinge wing.

The hinge structure 12 having the wrap-around cabinet hinge wing 88 provides the additional advantages of (l) simpler installation and (2) more secure engagement with the cabinet frame. As the wrap-around hinge wing 88 has the function of clamping onto the edge 94 of the cabinet frame 10 only the single screw 92 extending through the mounting portion 90* and into the edge 94 is necessary to retain the hinge wing in operative position. The clamping portion 93 also may have an outturned lip 106 to aid in slipping the hinge wing 88 onto the edge 94 of the cabinet frame.

Having thus disclosed our invention, we claim:

1. A self-closing hinge supporting a door on a cabinet frame for movement about a pivotal axis, comprising first and second hinge wings joined by a pintle forming a pivot axis with one hinge wing being mounted on a door and the other hinge wing being mounted on a cabinet frame, said cabinet hinge wing having a base for mounting on the cabinet, a cam housing affixed to the base and having a forward projection at its upper and lower ends having aligned openings receiving an end of the pintle, a longitudinally extending connecting wall at one side of said housing and a central connecting portion spanning said projections having a rectangular outwardly opening recess closed at its rear, a rectangular spring-biased cam member conformably received and bodily movable in said opening, said cam member being recessed to receive one or more coil springs held under compression and open at one end with one end of said spring abutting the base and the other end abutting the other end of said cam member, said cam member having an exposed cam surface facing and biased toward said pintle, and said other hinge wing having a mounting portion and terminating at one edge in a generally cylindrical knuckle forming a passage receiving said pintle, said knuckle having a central cut-out at the inner edge thereof cooperating with said cam member and a wrap-around mounting flange on said base adapted to receive and to clamp onto an edge of the frame of the cabinet and having a cut-out receiving a portion of a mounting flange on the door hinge wing.

2. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1, in which the hounting portion of the cabinet hinge wing is of generally U-shaped to conformably receive and clamp over an edge of the cabinet frame.

3. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 2, in which one side of said mounting portion provides a clamping flange with an outturned lip directing the flange over the edge of the cabinet frame.

4. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1, in which the mounting portion of the cabinet hinge wing has a central opening at a corner thereof and the door hinge wing has a mounting portion with a part received within said opening when the door is closed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,391,420 7/1968 Anderson l6142 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner D. L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

